


Countdown

by ZombieBabs



Series: TBTP Tumblr Prompts [4]
Category: The Black Tapes Podcast
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Kissing at Midnight, New Year's Eve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-10 23:21:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5604754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZombieBabs/pseuds/ZombieBabs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's New Year's Eve at the station.</p><p>*Edited 7.20.17</p>
            </blockquote>





	Countdown

**Author's Note:**

> Comment fic based on [this](http://buckybabs.tumblr.com/post/136403808227/the-wonderful-jinx-eleanor-3) post on tumblr, which was based on a tweet from TBTP.

Dr. Strand is drunk.

To be fair, so is Alex. But she’s completely taken aback by the way he’s smiling. With teeth. She’s never seen anything but the wry smile perpetually glued to his face. This one, this smile, is enough to take her breath away.

Nic walks by, letting them know there are only two minutes to midnight. Alex waves him on with the promise they’ll be in soon.

They should be with the rest of the party, passing out noisemakers and glasses of champagne, but as excited as she is for the new year, Alex doesn't want this particular moment to end.

She takes a sip of punch, something fizzy and fruity, spiked with rum. “Any resolutions this year, Dr. Strand?”

He takes a sip of his own drink. A jack-and-coke, if Alex remembers correctly. He smiles. “I’m going to lighten up.”

Alex laughs. “That’s great!”

Strand frowns. He looks at the carbonation rising from the depths of his drink. “I was joking.”

Alex's face flushes hot. “Oh.”

A long pause follows, awkward, as Alex tries to find some way to rescue the conversation.

And then Strand grins. His eyes sparkle behind his glasses. “Got you.”

Alex breathes out and smacks his arm with the back of her hand. She laughs. “Lightening up is overrated.“

He laughs, too.

It's so strange to see him so at ease, so open. Alex can't help it, but she stares.

He stares back, meeting her eyes with the coolest, bluest eyes she's ever seen.

Strand breaks the contact first. Shifting his drink from one hand to the other, he checks his watch. “We should join the others. The countdown should start soon.”

She glances over at the open door, where those still at the station are crowded around a live-stream of Times Square on Nic’s computer, drinks in hand. Several of them wear festive 2016 hats or large pairs of novelty sunglasses.

“Do you mind if we stay out here?” Alex asks, surprising herself.

A flash of surprise crosses his features, as well, but he nods. “Not at all.”

The countdown starts. Though she knows her friends and colleagues are just yards away, it feels as if Alex and Strand are absolutely alone. She’s staring at Strand and he’s staring back. His eyes are softer than she’s ever seen them, a little of the coolness melted under the heat of alcohol. In the background, the crowd in Nic's office cheers. 

“Three...two...one! Happy New Year!”

Alex kisses him. Standing up on tip-toe, one hand on his shoulder to keep her balance, Alex kisses him.

It takes her a second to realize he's completely frozen where he stands. She doesn’t think he's even breathing.

“Shit,” she curses, stepping away from him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t-–”

Strand blinks and seems to shake himself back to life. He steps closer. his hand cups her cheek, his thumb brushes over the swell of her cheekbone.

Alex nods at the unspoken question in his eyes.

He leans down, slowly--too slowly for Alex--and so she raises herself up to meet him.

His lips are slightly chapped, but warm. His hand cradles the back of her head, mussing her hair a little, but she doesn’t care. She nips at his lower lip, catching it in between her teeth. He makes a startled sound, sending shivers down her spine.

Behind them, Nic clears his throat. Alex smiles against Strand's mouth before pulling away. But not completely. She leans into the solid weight of him, trusting him to keep her upright with his arm around her back.

“Hey, Nic. Happy New Year!”

Nic smiles. “Happy New Year, Alex. Dr. Strand.”

“To you, as well.” Strand says, the bass of his voice vibrating against Alex.

“I just wanted to let you know I called a cab for you. I don’t care where you go from here, but neither of you are fit to drive.”

Alex grins and thanks him before he goes back to join the other revelers in his office.

Once they are bundled up in the cab, Alex lays her head on Strand’s shoulder. He places his arm around her and pulls her close.

Alex traces patterns onto his suit jacket, right over his heart. “You don’t have to lighten up, you know.”

He raises a brow. “What do you mean?”

Alex laces the fingers of their free hands together. “I like you just the way you are.”

He laughs and pulls her ever closer.

**Author's Note:**

> *Edited 7.20.17


End file.
